


The Albino Shark

by Azumeowth



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:15:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29524176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azumeowth/pseuds/Azumeowth
Summary: Lovino's days aboard a Spanish ship are always the same, then he meets a mystical creature he can't help but be drawn to.
Relationships: Prussia/South Italy (Hetalia)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	The Albino Shark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the-prussian-siesta](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=the-prussian-siesta).



Life aboard the Spanish ship _Hermosa_ wasn't the easiest, but Lovino's boss and caretaker didn't expect much out of him, so he couldn't complain. Not to say he didn't complain anyway since that was his favorite activity aboard the ship. He was in charge of watching over the cargo and more often than not that meant he spent most of his days asleep among the crates and casks. Lovino was also in charge of cooking, so he could alter the inventory lists at his discretion if he decided to help himself to the food. Today was a day like any other on the open sea when Lovino heard the scurrying of many men above deck. Voices he couldn't hear properly shouted to each other, but it didn't sound urgent like an attack. Curious, Lovino emerged from his station in the galley to see what the commotion was. He joined Captain Antonio at the helm to find him looking through a telescope.

"What's all the noise up here, huh? I was trying to sleep."

"You're always trying to sleep, Lovi." Antonio chuckled. "The men say they saw something strange in the water. Some say a shark and others say it's a man. We're trawling the nets out to see if we catch something."

"Cap'n!" One of the sailors shouted. "It's neither man nor beast but both in one!"

"What?" Antonio ran down with Lovino at his heels. In the nets, there was a creature that looked like a man being swallowed by a shark, but it was all one body. "A merman!"

"I didn't think those really existed." Lovino stepped closer to where the beast was thrashing.

"Careful, Lovi...look at those teeth, he's dangerous." Antonio blocked Lovino from getting any nearer, then addressed the sailors. "Put him in the biggest cask we have. He's worth more than any of the other cargo. Tie his arms behind him so he can't escape."

Lovino watched as the sailors took the merman away to the cargo area.

"You know that's my post, right Toni? I'll have to go near him eventually."

"Just be careful, okay? You're like a son to me, I don't want anything to happen to you." Antonio ruffled Lovino's already messy hair.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Lovino tried to fix his hair and went back to the cargo hold to see just where the merman was being held captive. The rest of the sailors had already left by the time he got there. The splashing sound alerted him to where the creature had been thrown. The cask obviously wasn't quite big enough since a big white tail was flapping around the opening. Lovino stood on a smaller cask and pushed the rest of the tail in, which caused the merman to surface from the bottom of the beer to look at him. He made a sound like laughter at Lovino and ducked back under the dark liquid.

"A drunk merman. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?" He frowned and peered down into the cask. The merman surfaced again too quickly for Lovino to react and smooched him on the cheek before laughing and diving down once more.

"What the crap?" Lovino blushed and dried off his cheek. "If you drink all that, you're going to dry yourself out and then die." He climbed back down and went to his usual napping spot to pass the time until someone needed him.

Hours passed and soon it was time for Lovino to cook the crew's dinner. He forgot the merman was in the next room as he prepared food and jumped when he heard a sound coming from nearby. He paused cutting a potato and went into the larder to see the merman sniffing the air coming from the galley.

"Oh, it's you. I guess you're hungry too, huh?" Lovino realized he still had the peeled and partially boiled potato in his hand and held it up to the merman. "Go on, I know your arms are tied, but you can take it with your teeth." The merman squinted at him, his red eyes narrowing suspiciously before accepting the potato in his mouth and taking a bite. It seemed to be a successful offering since he took more bites out of the vegetable. "I wonder what I should call you...just calling you merman seems stupid." The mermand chuffed and flexed his throat gills and gave Lovino a sharp grin. "Gil? That's a dumb name, but I guess that's what you're named. A dumb fish with a dumb name. I guess I'm not one to talk, my name is Lovino for crap sake." He smirked and continued feeding Gil the potato. "I have to go back to the galley, I'll bring you more if the men don't eat all their food." Lovino returned to his duties as he heard a plaintive sounding cry from the merman and a splash behind him.

For a few days, Lovino and Gil repeated their brief interactions, but on the third day Lovino could see Gil was in some serious pain.

"Hey...I'm gonna take a look at you, but you have to promise not to bite me, you understand?" He looked straight in Gil's eyes and the merman gave him a nod in return. "Okay, hang on..." Lovino braced himself on the cask and tried to reach in to grab him to try and pull him up. Gil proved to be very slippery and heavy as Lovino fought against gravity. It would have been so much easier if Gil's arms were free, but then...that was the issue, wasn't it? Lovino hissed as he saw how red the merman's wrists were, it was lucky he wasn't bleeding. He pulled Gil out of the cask just enough so that he could bend his body over the side but his tail was still submerged in liquid. "Toni's not going to like this..." Lovino pulled out his knife and freed Gil's arms from their ropes. He flinched as Gil made a sudden move as if to attack, but blinked when he realized he was being hugged.

"Lo-vi..." Gil managed to speak his name in a soft whisper.

"You can speak?" Lovino helped him back into the cask and looked at Gil's raw skin. "Hang on, I have a salve that helps rope burns. Why didn't you try to speak before?" He rummaged through his supplies and opened up a small jar with some difficulty.

"Trust." Gil admitted. "You trusted me not to bite you when you freed my arms, so I trust you with this."

"You shouldn't trust me...you're still captive, after all..." Lovino rubbed the salve on Gil's wrists one by one.

"Aren't you a captive too...?" Gil mused. "You can't leave any more than I can."

"I...you're not wrong. I don't have anywhere else to go. The captain raised me and this is all I know." Lovino frowned. "I can't do this...they're either going to put you in some kind of freak show or dissect you, it all depends on who gets the highest bid."

"Free me, you could come with me."

"I can't...I'll drown." Lovino shook his head.

"You won't, I promise."

"...Fine. But we have to wait until most of the crew is asleep. There's no way I could get you off this ship in daylight."

"Thank you, Lovi." Gil leaned over and nuzzled against his face. Lovino gently pushed him back as he blushed.

"Don't thank me yet, I might not even succeed." Lovino stepped away from the casks to think about how to save Gil from his fate.

Late at night, Lovino walked all around the ship to note where every crewmate was stationed, those that weren't fast asleep.He found a spot on the side of the ship that would be perfect for tossing the merman into the water without having to lift him too high. Quietly, he made his way back into the cargo hold and tapped on Gil's cask.

"Hey, it's time. It's not going to be easy, you're pretty heavy."

"Wow, thanks." Gil snorted, but he didn't sound offended as he peered over the edge. Lovino rolled his eyes and climbed his staircase of smaller casks and reached in to pull Gil out of the remaining alcohol the merman hadn't already drank. "I am going to miss the free beer, Lovi." He giggled.

"Shh. You're going to have to keep your mouth shut." Lovino pulled him free and let him lay on the deck floor for a moment. "Okay, I'm going to lift you onto my back, but your tail's going to be dragging so be careful." He picked Gil up again and wrapped his arms around his neck as he supported the merman's weight.

"I'm ready." Gil tried to keep his tail up off the wood as much as possible.

"Let's go." Lovi held onto him tightly and began a quick dash to the spot on the ship he'd staked out earlier. He glanced around every corner to make sure he wasn't being watched. Once they got to the drop point, they'd be exposed to anyone who was looking their direction. Lovi let out a sigh of relief as they made it to the edge of the ship and gently lowered Gil down to the deck. "Okay, here..."

"Lovi!" A voice rang out that made Lovino's blood run cold.

"Shit, no...not when we're so close. Gil, go ahead and jump!"

"No, not without you, Lovi." Gil shook his head.

"Lovino, just what do you think you're doing?" Antonio approached them with a frown.

"You can't sell him, Toni. They'll just kill him, it's not right." Lovi stood in front of the merman.

"It's a beast, Lovi..."

"He is not a beast! He's a living creature and he deserves to live his life just like anyone else." Tears began to well in his eyes. "You wouldn't understand, your life is this ship."

"Lovi..." Antonio blinked, then sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You do realize if you leave this ship with my cargo, you'll be branded a pirate."

"I don't care, it's time I went my own way, Toni. I'm no king's man." Lovino grabbed Gil and tossed him into the water. "Goodbye." He dived into the ocean after the merman and disappeared under the waves.

"Lovi!" Antonio shouted and peered over the edge. He pulled out his telescope and began searching for them. As Lovino sank, Gil quickly swam to him and pulled him into his embrace. He leaned in and gave Lovino a bubbly kiss on the lips while holding him tightly. Lovino's eyes opened and he involuntarily took in a breath of water. For a moment, he panicked, until he realied that he wasn't choking. Gil let out a happy chirp and pulled Lovino onto his back. Lovino held onto his fin as Gil swam toward the surface. Once they breached the water, Gil turned back toward the ship and Lovino noticed Antonio still standing where they left him. Lovino waved to show he was alive, then the two of them disappeared into the sea once more.

Epilogue

Months after Lovino jumped ship, he found himself much happier with his little shack on the beach. The island he lived on was pretty much deserted and he didn't mind the solitude one bit. He was laying on the sand when he heard splashing coming from nearby. He smiled as he saw Gil returning to shore with a fresh catch for their dinner. Lovino got up and picked up the cloth he had been laying on and met up with Gil as he beached himself. Little did anyone know, once the merman's tail dried up, it became human legs. Lovino began drying Gil's tail and let him wrap the cloth around himself so they could go up to their shack and start cooking together. Gil stood up on his newly dry feet and kissed Lovino on the way up.  
"Welcome home, Gil." Lovino smiled. "Let's go eat."


End file.
